Too late?
by TheSunIsStillDark
Summary: What will happen if Danny remains too clueless? Will he realize that he loves Sam before it's too late?
1. Chapter 1

**WARNING: Mentions of self-harm.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom.**

**•••••**

"You saved me in a way no one else ever could. You destroyed me in a way no one else ever could. I loved you in a way no one else ever could. I thought there was more to you. I thought that you were different than everybody else. I thought you felt the same way about me as I did you. I never truly considered the fact that you didn't feel a thing for me. I deluded myself into thinking that fate would somehow make things work out. I never once truly considered what would happen if you did not love me. If you were really just like everybody else. If you were just as shallow minded. If you really only regarded me as just another person. If you truly never gave me more than a passing thought... If ever that."

_But see, I won't ever tell you that. I could never explain to you the workings of my mind. I can't even explain to myself. But maybe, just maybe, things might still work out... I don't think I've yet given up hope. I'm still holding onto the false impression that life has happy endings. I'm still holding onto the fact that I will never truly admit otherwise; never truly believe otherwise._

"You see, I love you. I have always loved you. When you were there to pick up the broken pieces of my heart, have you ever considered the fact that you were the one to shatter me in the first place? That you were the one that hurt me the most, even as you comforted me I had cried. But on the outside I was silent. I pretended to be strong for you. But when no one was looking I reduced myself to a crying heap of pain. I had nothing. You were just too clueless to see through that bubble of light that was your life and into my infinite darkness that resembled mine. Your eyes were not fit to see the depth of my pain. You only saw the facade I put on. You failed to see what became of me when loneliness overtook my life. You abandoned me, Danny. You abandoned me when I needed you most."

_Some hero you are._

**Danny's point of view**

How could she blame me? Did she honestly expect me to know exactly what she was thinking? I may have been her best friend since preschool, but I couldn't read minds. I never thought for one second that she LOVED me! I mean, I knew she cared about me... As a friend. But LOVE?

I may have freaked out just a little when she did eventually tell me how she felt. But that was only after she was too far gone. I didn't feel the same way. And she deserved to know the truth. And the truth may have hurt her more than anything else, but at least I didn't lie to her. I told her that I did truly care for her feelings; I just did not return them. I felt bad when I saw the look on her face, but I had to say it.

"Just because you love me doesn't mean I love you. You have to accept the fact that I never felt that way towards you. I never thought of you as anything more than a friend."

Needless to say, I think I broke her heart. But it's not MY fault. How could it be? I did everything in my power to comfort her through her depression. I was her shoulder to cry on. I may have been to blind to see that I was the one that did that to her in the first place, but I tried to fix it when she finally admitted she loved me. I tried to convince her that there was still something left to love in life. I told her to just be happy. But of course, she angrily told me the opposite. She would absolutely NOT be happy. Life was cruel and unfair to her and she refused to try to make it better. That was her decision. I tried to make her feel better; but I simply didn't feel the same way. How can someone blame me for NOT feeling something?

**Sam's point of view**

He was a jerk. I can't believe I ever felt anything for him. He was just a shallow minded jerk who cared about nothing but himself. He never once even said he was sorry. And maybe he wasn't. And the worst thing was that he told me to 'just be happy'. Like I should wake up one day and forget that I did love him, forget that he told me he had never felt the same way, that he never saw me as anything more than a friend. And he didn't act remorseful in the slightest. It was like he just accepted the fact that he destroyed my heart and could do nothing about it. He even told me to just 'accept' that fact that he didn't care about me. And I did. I accepted it. With a clean and sharp razor that made me forget about the pain of having my world as I knew it ripped suddenly out from under my feet. With a simple swipe of the razor across my pale flesh I felt a strange relief from all my emotional pain. I felt better. The tears stopped poring from my eyes. But the blood spilled from my skin. I decided which was less painful; the cutting, or the heartbreak. The cutting won. I would go through any physical pain imaginable then feel THAT again.

And I was sure Danny didn't care.

**Danny's point of view**

"No. I changed my mind. Sam, I do care. I'm so sorry that I was too clueless to see that you loved me, that I was hurting you more each time I was lovesick for another girl. Each time I told you how wonderful that other woman was... I never understood your hurt expression. Until now. Sam you are the only one for me. I love you too. It may have taken me a while to realize it, but deep down I'm sure I always have. I'm sure. And I'm sorry. And I love you."

That was how I was going to say it. But when I entered her room that night I saw that I was far too late. She had already moved on. And suddenly I found myself as the one with the broken heart. My precious Sam had moved on. Moved on from life.

"Oh, Sam. If only I were never so clueless."

_Some hero I was._

They say there are no happy endings in real life. And I say that that is more true than the fact that I was too late to save Sam. From herself. I will always be scarred by the image of her lifeless body laying there on her bedroom floor, emptied of blood by those deep slashes in her wrists. She had died believing I did not love her. But little did she know that while she was ending her life, I had realized just how much she meant to me. She was everything. And suddenly everything was gone.

••• **Not the end** •••

~ TheSunIsStillDark


	2. Chapter 2

**This sad story shall finally be continued... Let's see what really happens to Danny after Sam's suicide. And I should warn you: this story is going to have some fun little twists, so stay tuned! But first you're gonna have to deal with the traumatized mind of Danny Fenton.**

•••••

_"She was everything. And suddenly everything was gone." _

Rain leaked down my bedroom window, like the blood that leaked down her wrists. I curled my hands into fists, wrapping my arms around my scrunched up knees, as I tried vainly to hold myself together, even though I had already fallen apart. My world is shattered, it was crushed into dust by the death of my friend. Her death, which was my fault, due to the fact that I was too late to save her... From herself, has shaken me so entirely that I can no longer function properly. I won't eat. I won't sleep. Neither does she. She'll never wake up, she'll never sleep. She won't live, she won't laugh. And neither will I. I'll just watch the rain. I've seen the blood. It was pooling on the floor, like the puddles of water on the street. It's all I can see anyway. The blood is all I can see. My bedroom door creaked open. I continue to stare at the blood. At the rain. Light pours into my room from the hallway. I cringe at the vicious touch of reality. I can't take this.

"Please go away." My voice is dead. Just like Sam. I flinch as I think her name. My fists clench tighter, my nails dig into my flesh, like the razor that sliced her skin...

"Danny..." It was my sister, probably trying to get me to agree to another therapy session with her. I shut my eyes tightly, there was nothing to talk about. There was nothing to see.

"Shut the door." I commanded. It was too bright.

"You can't live like this." Jazz told me. I shuddered.

"I'm not alive." I muttered. "I'm not even here. Please go away."

"Danny, please." She sighed loudly. It was quite annoying. "It's been a week. You have to leave this room sometime. I know it's hard, but you have to learn to forgive yourself and move on."

"She won't move on." I stated firmly. "Neither will I."

"Danny." Jasmine's voice had taken on a new tone. She was angry. "Sam is dead. Your not." I open my eyes, and her face is not angry. It's just sad. Very, very sad.

"Okay." I agree, and then I close my eyes again. The door closes, and the light disappears, along with everything else.

•••••

I awake to see that the entire world has turned gray. The walls, the ceiling, the floors... Even the clouds outside the window. I glance around, realizing that I'm not in my room any longer. I'm not even in my house. I lift my arms, only to see that I have needles poking in my veins. I rip them out, examining the punctures in my flesh. There's a strange noise, like a police siren going off somewhere. Somebody walks into the room and the noise stops. They present me with a tray of food, and insist that I eat, otherwise they'll have to put the needles back in me. I accept the food, feeling the vile texture as it slides down my throat. I shudder.

"Your mother wishes to see you, Danny. Do you want me to let her in?" The person, who I assume is some kind of nurse, looks at me with a pitying expression. I look down, twisting my hands together.

"Okay." I mumbled to the nurse. "Let her see me." And the nurse smiles in a kind way and exits the room. I look out the window, and it's raining now. The droplets of water congregate into tiny streams, flowing down the smooth pane of glass... And then my mother walks in, along with my annoying sister.

"Oh, sweetheart." My mom gushes, embracing me with a tight hug as I struggle to breathe. "We just had to do something. I can't let you rot away in your room anymore. You'll be staying here until you feel better, okay honey?"

"I'm sorry Danny." My sister apologizes. "I know how much you hate therapy, but this is a little different. It's a-"

"Mental hospital. Thanks Jazz." I glare at her, and she looks at the gray floor, ashamed.

"Sweetie, your sister only wants what's best for you. Your father and I have been worried sick! Lucky for us, Jazz knew about this place through her studies, and suggested we take you here for a bit. Just until you can start... functioning again." My mom smiles at me and kisses my cheek. I turn my head, and her lipstick smears across my face. Jazz giggles at the red streak that was now prominent against my cheek bone. I angrily wipe it off, turning the back off my hand red. It reminded me of blood.

"Where's Dad?" I ask my mother, wondering where my bumbling father was.

"He's at home, worried that he'd mess up and say something that makes you feel... Bad." My mom shrugged apologetically. "I'm sure that there are some things you don't really want to be reminded of now, and your father isn't known for his careful tongue."

"Oh." I glance at my sister, and she's looking at the window with a calculative expression. Suddenly she strides across the room and closes the blinds, blocking the rain from view.

"Sorry. It just looks so dreary outside. I'm sure you don't want to be looking at all those yucky clouds, right Danny?" Jazz smiles at me, but there's something else that I feel she's trying to convey.

"It's the blood, isn't it?" I ask her. Her eyes widen innocently.

"What blood?" My mothers questions, narrowing her eyebrows. I ignore her and glare pointedly at my sister.

"You've been watching me stare out my window for a week. You know it reminds me of the blood." I look down at my bedsheets, realizing that they were gray too. "Don't worry." I say bleakly. "You can't cover it up. All I see is blood." Tears leak out of my eyes and I'm gasping for air. I pull up my legs and curl my fists, encircling my knees with my arms, burying my face in the pillow. And that's gray, too.

"Oh, Danny!" My mother cries. I feel her wrap her herself around me, hugging me so tightly I can't breathe. "I'm so sorry." And she's crying along with me. But Jazz isn't.

"Danny. You can't dwell on these things if you want to be happy. There's always going to be things that remind you of Sam. Please let them go." I feel her touch my shoulder, and I jerk upright, out of my mothers embrace. I uncurl from the fetal position and glare at my sister.

"Leave me alone." I snarled. "And don't say her name. Never say her name ever again!" I feel so angry that I stop thinking. I raise my hand, prepared to blast her away when I realized that I can't summon an ecto blast. At all. I lower my hand and stare at it, appalled. What happened to my powers? I close my eyes and concentrate, trying to find the core of my ghostly form. It's there- I can feel the essence of my ghost half lingering underneath the humanity in which I still posses. So why can I use my powers?

"Danny." My sisters voice was soft now. "You haven't eaten or gotten enough sleep in a week. Your body needs time to recuperate its strength." Oh. That made sense. I suppose it's a good thing that Jazz is so much smarter than me sometimes...

"Your sister is right, Honey." My mom patted my head. "You must be feeling very weak right now. I hope they bring you more food soon. Maybe I should call the nurse..." My mother trailed off. I shook my head.

"I'm really not hungry right now." I was actually starving, as I could almost feel my stomach beginning to eat itself. But there was no way I would consume more of the nastiness that was food.

"The hospital food is horrible, I'll agree." Jazz nodded to me, walking to the door. "Tomorrow we'll stop by with some lunch, okay?"

"You're leaving?" I asked, although I should have expected this. I was in a hospital now. My family would have to go home.

"I'll tell Jack you're feeling a little better, okay? It's best not have him worry so much..." My mom mused, standing up and following my sister. "I'm sure the nurse is about to kick us out anyway."

"We'll be back soon." Jazz told me, as she gently shut the door behind her. I sighed and sunk back into my pillows, relishing in their comfort. Immediately I felt guilty. How dare I take pleasure in the softness of this bed when I've done such a horrible thing to my friend? She would never feel anything again, so why should I? I look towards the window again, with the blinds still drawn tight. But I can still hear the rain splattering on the ground. Sort of like her blood.

•••••

**Poor Danny... Will he ever get a chance to tell Sam how he really felt?**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello readers, I'm grateful that you've stuck around to see how Danny copes with the loss of a friend. And remember, no matter how many characters I kill off, I will never posses any ownership of Danny Phantom.**

**•••••**

It wasn't just about the blood. It was about the fragile expression on her beautiful face as her eyebrows relaxed and her mouth softened. As she lay there on the cold floor, loveless and lifeless. I see that face in every other one here- the desolate look of lost hope. Tear stained cheeks and hopeless gazes are common, with the exception of the glowing faces of the nurses that I see frequently. They remind me of an old villain, who was once disguised as a therapist for Casper High Spirit week. They also remind me of my sister, Jazz, with their know-it-all attitudes and advice.

"Daniel, we're all very sorry about your friend, but you have to understand that the suicide was her choice, not yours. You can't let her... unfortunate actions ruin your life." And the nurse would smile in a way that twisted my gut. Her pity was all I ever received, and it was maddening. I ignored her and turned my head to stare at the wall, wondering how many other patients have seen this same gray tone. It was empty, void of all life and reason, just like Sam. Just like the rain, and the blood, and the clouds, and even me.

"I'll be back with your dinner in half an hour, alright?" The nurse chirped as she strutted out of the room, leaving me to think in peace. I lethargically made my way over to my bed, getting in and making sure the covers were wrapped tight around my form. I curled up on my side and closed my eyes, hoping to fall into unconsciousness before the nurse arrived with the detestable excuse for the substance they call food.

Sleep evaded me entirely. I could hear the gentle thrum of the air vents, blowing fresh oxygen into my small living quarters, and the electrical beeps of machinery. The room was lit with a single fluorescent bulb, which was humming with electricity. I scrambled out of bed to find the light switch, shutting of the bright glow that infiltrated my vision. I then approached the window that I had not so much as glanced at ever since Jazz pulled the blinds down two days ago. I gripped the cord and pulled it down roughly, letting the heat of the afternoon sun caress my face. Evening was swiftly nearing, and I could almost see the sun moving closer to the horizon, where it would disappear to make way for the darkness. I found myself letting out a gentle sigh. Sam always loved the darkness... The night.

Abruptly I clenched my hands around the window frame, and I could feel the wood begin to splinter underneath my ghostly strength. I'd noticed my powers coming back to me over the last couple days, as I'd begun to move around and eat small portions so I could obtain my necessary nutrition. I wasn't anywhere close to how strong I was before Sam died, but I was slowly gaining power. I released my hold on the wood, not wanting the damage to draw any unwanted attention, as I just wanted to get out of this desolate hospital as soon as possible. I wasn't sure when my discharge date was, but I hoped it would be soon. It wasn't like I was suffering from a mental health disorder like the other patients, so I saw no real reason to be trapped here. If only I could somehow bypass the security and escape...

"Duh!" I exclaimed, and my voice surprised me. The excitement it held caught me off guard, as I was sure I wasn't even able to feel that emotion anymore. Apparently I was wrong, but that didn't change the fact that I felt like it was wrong. "If I have enough strength to break the window frame, then I can definitely turn intangible and make a break for it." I reasoned aloud, mulling over my options for escape. I squinted out the window, trying to figure out where exactly this place was located in regards to Amity Park. I wasn't sure if I had enough energy to fly for more that a few miles...

"Hello, Danny!" The metal door swung open and in came the peppy nurse, whose name I didn't even know. "I've brought your food. We have either deli sandwiches and mashed potatoes or a vegetable soup with organic crackers." She tossed me a package of the crackers, which I opened curiously, only to see that they were green with age. Or maybe the mold was the organic part. I shuddered and carefully tossed them into the trash bin, making sure none of the moldy green substance escaped the package.

"I'm not really sure those are edible." I explained, when the nurse sent me a questioning look. She only shrugged at my response and set down the tray with the rest of my food on the small bedside table.

"Actually." She began, "Not much of the food here is. You're lucky that your mother sneaks you lunch in everyday." She laughed.

"How much longer am I going to be here anyway?" I grumbled, reaching for the sandwich. If I was going to escape, I had to keep my strength up.

"Until you're ready to leave." She answered. I let out a gust of air, feeling the oxygen exit my lungs as I breathed out a sigh.

"I'm ready to leave now." I stated firmly. Perhaps I wouldn't even have to break out. But the nurse simply laughed at my response.

"That's not for you to decide." She chuckled. "I'm afraid you'll have to see what your parents say tomorrow. Now goodbye." She strode out of the room with a pitying smile plastered on her face.

"Hmph." I grunted to myself, looking down at my dinner. Escape it is. Absently, I wondered what my mom would say when I arrived home by myself, having left the secure hospital and seemingly journeyed miles on foot. Maybe I could say that I hitched a ride with somebody, but that didn't explain how I got out of the building.

Or perhaps I shouldn't even go home. There was nothing in Amity Park to hold me there anymore. My best friend was dead, and it was my fault. It wasn't like I could simply return to my everyday life of school, homework, and ghost fighting with the knowledge that I was the reason she was dead. Abruptly, as I raked my hands through my hair in frustration, I realized what I had to do.

There was no going back. There was no more Sam Manson. And there was no more life. Not even for me.

With a slightly twisted expression dominating my features, I called upon my inner ghostly core, drawing my strength from it and forcing the transformation into my alter ego. With ashy white hair and bright green eyes, I gave one last look at my designated living area, glad that I was practically free. Launching myself into the air and through the wall, I felt the tedium vanish along with the image of the unnervingly plain gray walls. I soared out of the hospital, with my ultimate destination fast approaching as I streaked through the windy skies of Amity Park, a place I once called home.

••••••

**Review? For your favorite ghost boy? **


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